Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs ActivTrades, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
When comparing Charles Schwab and ActivTrades, both brokers present their own unique features and regulatory standings. Founded in 1971, Charles Schwab stands out with a Trust Score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. As a publicly traded entity and a bank, it holds five Tier-1 licenses—considered highly trusted—demonstrating its strong regulatory framework. In contrast, ActivTrades has been in operation since 2001 and isn’t publicly traded or a bank. While it holds two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, it still maintains a respectable Trust Score of 81, marking it as a trusted broker.
Overall, Charles Schwab offers a highly secure option for those seeking an online broker with stringent regulatory backing, thanks in part to its significant number of Tier-1 licenses and its status as a publicly traded bank. Meanwhile, ActivTrades provides a solid level of trust with its combination of Tier-1 and Tier-2 licenses, appealing to investors who prioritize regulatory oversight. Each broker’s regulatory standings can help users make an informed choice based on their personal investment preferences and risk tolerance.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
For commissions and fees, both Charles Schwab and ActivTrades earn 4 out of 5 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees rankings, Schwab is #26 out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades is #29 out of 63. If your priority is tighter typical forex spreads, ActivTrades held the edge in our data; if you prefer USD-settled trading with no minimum deposit and broad account flexibility, Schwab stands out.
Charles Schwab does not charge a commission for forex; your costs come from the spread. The average EUR/USD spread was 1.35 pips in October 2024, which is on the higher side versus the industry average. Forex is available through the Schwab One account on thinkorswim, with all trades settled in U.S. dollars and a smallest trade size of 10,000 units (about $500 minimum margin at 20:1 leverage). Schwab Global adds access to 12 international markets in local currencies, with currency conversion fees ranging from 0.2% to 1% depending on your balance; note that placing trades in a foreign currency from a Schwab One account requires a phone call. The platform also displays overnight financing charges so you can estimate holding costs.
ActivTrades’ pricing will depend on the instrument and platform, but for forex the key cost is the spread; the average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024—slightly better than the industry average, though not the lowest available. It offers an Individual Account plus Professional and Islamic options, with the same spreads across account types and no special active-trader pricing; spreads can widen around rollover, as is common. Bottom line: ActivTrades generally provides lower typical FX spreads than Schwab, while Schwab offers commission-free forex with USD settlement and multi-currency market access (with conversion fees). Choose based on whether tighter spreads or broader account structure and currency options matter more to you.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.32 | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.32 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Charles Schwab offers a far wider range of investments than ActivTrades. Schwab lists about 40,000 tradeable symbols and 73 forex pairs, while ActivTrades has 1,267 symbols and 49 forex pairs. Schwab clients can buy exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges (think Apple or Vodafone), whereas ActivTrades offers exchange-traded securities on international markets but not U.S. exchanges. Both brokers support forex trading (CFD or spot) and let you trade cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither lets you buy actual crypto.
These differences show up in third-party ratings: for Range of Investments, Charles Schwab earns 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades holds 4 stars and ranks #32. If you want the widest market access and the ability to own U.S. stocks, Schwab is the stronger choice; if you value copy trading, ActivTrades provides that feature (Schwab does not).
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
In the Charles Schwab vs ActivTrades comparison for trading platforms and tools, both brokers cover the basics well. Each offers free paper trading, an in-house proprietary platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based platform. You can also trade directly from charts with either broker. Key differences: ActivTrades supports copy trading and provides MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while Charles Schwab does not offer copy trading or MetaTrader.
For quality ratings, ForexBrokers.com gives Charles Schwab 5 stars and ranks it #5 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools, compared with ActivTrades at 4 stars and #32. If you want a higher-rated platform experience, Charles Schwab leads; if you need MetaTrader access and copy trading, ActivTrades is the better fit.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both Charles Schwab and ActivTrades offer iPhone and Android trading apps. Each lets you set stock and forex price alerts, draw trendlines on charts, and autosave your drawings for later. Where they differ is watchlists and technical analysis: Schwab syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while ActivTrades does not. For charting studies, Schwab includes 374 technical indicators compared with 30 on ActivTrades, giving data-focused traders far more ways to analyze price action.
According to ForexBrokers.com, Charles Schwab’s mobile trading apps earn 5 stars and rank 6th out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades scores 4 stars and ranks 19th. If you value extensive technical tools and seamless watchlist syncing, Schwab stands out; if you want a simpler toolkit with core alerts and drawing tools on both iPhone and Android, ActivTrades is a solid choice.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both Charles Schwab and ActivTrades deliver daily market commentary and stream forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, helping traders stay on top of breaking events. Each broker also features an economic calendar covering current and upcoming global releases. However, neither platform includes third-party research suites from Autochartist, Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading.
Where they differ is in sentiment data: ActivTrades provides a tool that shows the ratio of long and short positions across instruments, while Charles Schwab does not. Even so, Schwab earns higher marks overall for research (rated 5 stars and ranked #5 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com), compared with ActivTrades (4 stars and #31). Choose Charles Schwab if you prioritize research depth and broad market coverage; pick ActivTrades if a built-in sentiment gauge is a must-have alongside news and commentary.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners comparing trading education, Charles Schwab stands out with a 5‑star Education rating and a #6 ranking out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #38. Both brokers host online educational webinars at least once a month, and both offer deep video libraries with at least 10 beginner-friendly trading videos plus 10 or more advanced videos for experienced traders.
Details about dedicated forex and CFDs education (10+ pieces focused on those topics), a searchable archive of recorded webinars, and an investor dictionary with 50+ terms were not confirmed for either broker from the information provided. If you want a higher-rated, widely recognized education suite, Charles Schwab has the edge. ActivTrades also delivers frequent webinars and sizable video content, making it a good option for learning the basics, but its overall education ranking is lower.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Charles Schwab is better than ActivTrades. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33.
Charles Schwab is a highly trusted financial institution and multi-asset broker catering to U.S.-based and international forex traders. Schwab's award-winning thinkorswim platform offers over 70 tradeable currency pairs alongside impressive tools, research, and education. That said, the broker’s forex offering is still largely limited to what is available on thinkorswim.
| Feature |
Charles Schwab
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Both Charles Schwab and ActivTrades do not offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do provide options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives.
Comparing Charles Schwab vs ActivTrades for deposits and withdrawals: Charles Schwab supports ACH/SEPA and bank wires but not PayPal or Skrill, while ActivTrades supports Skrill and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | |||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | |||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | |||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | |||
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | |||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | |||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 40000 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 73 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.32 | 0.98 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.32 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 374 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 374 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | Charles Schwab | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Charles Schwab Review | ActivTrades Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill